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Social media has made us all lonely, according to the Pope

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Pope Francis thinks social media and mass culture make people lonely. The Pope lamented what he sees as a consumerist, click bait culture in a sermon delivered to bishops at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Pennsylvania on Sunday.

With my heartfelt thanks. May the love of Christ always guide the American people! #GodBlessAmerica

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"Today's culture seems to encourage people to not bond with anything or anyone," Francis said. "The most important thing today seems to be to follow the latest trend of activity, even at a religious level. Today consumerism determines what is important."

He continued, "I would dare say that at the root of so many contemporary situations is a kind of radical loneliness that so many people live in today. Running after the latest fad, a like, accumulating followers on any of the social networks."

That said, he has 7.43m followers on his English-language Twitter profile, and millions more across eight other profiles.

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Pope Francis is retweeted and favourited thousands of times whenever he posts on Twitter. But he thinks social media leaves people ultimately lonely -- "Loneliness with fear of commitment in a limitless effort to feel recognised," in which "Social bonds are a mere means for satisfaction of my needs."

The Pope made the speech on his last day in America, after a summer-long tour of Latin America and the US.